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Residents press council for accountability after multimillion-dollar police settlements
Summary
Multiple residents urged the San Diego City Council to demand accountability for police conduct and transparency about large settlements reported in closed session; callers named specific settlements and asked that officers be disciplined and that the council hold public hearings.
Dozens of residents used the council’s public-comment period on Dec. 8 to press elected officials for greater accountability over police conduct and high-dollar settlements discussed in closed session.
Tasha Williamson, introduced to the dais by the clerk, told the council she opposed keeping large payouts confidential and urged firings and stronger discipline. “None of these officers should be receiving a check,” she said, listing case names that have drawn community attention and naming an $10,000,000 settlement for a girl identified in public comments as Arabella McCormick.
Paul Krueger, who spoke after Williamson, urged council members not to let the issue “go undiscussed,” saying the size and publicity of the settlements warranted an open conversation about department leadership and oversight.
Other remote and in-person commenters — including Laurie Saldana, Francine Maxwell and Andrea Ebbing — echoed calls for transparency and asked the council to convene hearings that would explain how settlements arise and what steps the city takes to prevent future incidents. Speakers tied the payouts to broader concerns about training, leadership and budget priorities amid an ongoing city budget shortfall.
What the city reported: At the end of the meeting the city attorney summarized closed-session votes, reporting that the council voted to withdraw an appeal in Mehran Mussetian v. State Farm Insurance Co. (San Diego Superior Court) and to refrain from appellate review in a separate action involving the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission; the attorney said both votes were taken in closed session and reported the results to the public.
Why it matters: Residents’ testimony focused on accountability for law enforcement and on the fiscal consequences of settlements. Citizens requested public hearings, clearer reporting on settlements and direct engagement between council offices and affected families.
What’s next: The council recessed to closed session earlier in the day to address pending litigation and returned to report the closed-session actions; several commenters urged the council to direct staff to bring items into public hearings or to require follow-up reporting on settlement policies.
